Location History

Before there was Evangel University, there was O’Reilly General Hospital, the “Hospital with a Soul.”

Built as a temporary institution to serve soldiers wounded during WWII, the Army hospital in Springfield, Missouri, had more than 6,000 beds at its peak. Doctors at O’Reilly treated more than 50,000 patients during its 5-year existence. The hospital closed in 1946 after the war ended. It briefly reopened as a veteran’s hospital and was then permanently shut down in 1952.

That left 155 acres with 258 empty Army barracks, which were declared excess by the U.S. Government. The Assemblies of God, headquartered in Springfield, was successful in its bid for 58 acres, and claimed the land for Evangel College in 1954.

That’s how the “Hospital with a Soul” turned into the “Miracle College.”

To see more of O’Reilly General Hospital’s history, check out the student documentary “The Hospital with a Soul” at the top right of this page.

About Evangel

Evangel is an accredited, liberal arts university with more than 100 academic programs on the cutting edge of today's professional fields. Our commitment to the integration of faith, learning and life attracts students from a wide variety of Christian denominational backgrounds who have a strong commitment to academics with a desire to combine their Christian faith with every aspect of their lives.